---
title: "Paddington 2"
year: 2017
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/paddington-2"
fi1m_id: "paddington-2"
imdb_id: "tt4468740"
tmdb_id: 346648
wikidata_id: "Q27590871"
fi1m_score: 91
critics_score: 88
critics_reviews: 27
published: "2026-09-16"
updated: "2026-09-18T08:37:41.228735+00:00"
region: "EE"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Paddington 2 (2017)

Directed by Paul King · 1h 44m · Adventure, Comedy, Family

## Identity

Paddington 2

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/paddington-2
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** paddington-2
- **IMDb ID:** tt4468740
- **TMDB ID:** 346648
- **Wikidata ID:** Q27590871
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4468740/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/346648, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q27590871

**Fi1m score: 91** · Critics 88 from 27 reviews

*In a sentence:* The grown-ups can stop pretending they are only watching the polite bear to supervise the children

> *Paddington 2* is a funny, generous family comedy that takes kindness seriously without making a lesson of it. Paul King earns the sentiment, Hugh Grant supplies the vanity, and only the episodic plotting occasionally checks the pace.

## Synopsis

In London, Paddington Brown (voiced by Ben Whishaw) uses good manners to get along with his neighbours. Mary Brown (Sally Hawkins) and Henry Brown (Hugh Bonneville) are among the people around him, while Phoenix Buchanan (Hugh Grant) has rather more interest in himself. The bear’s adventures take in a fairground and a pop-up book. His attempts to do right by those around him run up against vanity and prejudice, in a city where his faith in other people is not always returned.

## Review

Paul King puts an unfashionable amount of trust in good manners. His bear approaches other people expecting them to be decent, and the comedy allows that expectation to survive without making everyone agreeable. *Paddington 2* is funny enough to recommend on its jokes alone, but the care it takes over small acts of kindness makes it worth recommending more widely. It asks us to believe that treating people well can change how they behave, and does enough comic work to earn our agreement.

The screenplay by Paul King and Simon Farnaby understands how much comedy there is in taking courtesy seriously. Paddington Brown, voiced by Ben Whishaw, does not need a knowing aside to make his innocence palatable to adults. Ben Whishaw gives the politeness conviction, so that the bear’s persistence feels like a choice rather than an inability to understand what is happening. There is room for absurdity around him because he remains so steady.

Hugh Grant’s Phoenix Buchanan supplies the necessary excess. We laughed at his self-importance at the fairground, because the performance takes his vanity seriously even when nobody else could. His appetite for attention gives the broad acting a clear purpose beyond pulling faces. Paul King allows him to be ridiculous without making the film cruel, and the contrast with Ben Whishaw’s unaffected delivery keeps both performances lively.

Gary Williamson’s production design gives the fanciful London enough detail to reward looking beyond the bear. The pop-up book belongs in this setting: the city has the inviting, carefully arranged look of somewhere made to be explored. Erik Wilson’s cinematography makes the colour welcoming rather than tiring, and the visual precision helps the physical comedy remain legible. We can enjoy the decoration without losing track of the joke.

Editors Jonathan Amos and Mark Everson deserve credit for that clarity too. Their comic timing allows a mishap to register before the next complication demands our attention; the slapstick stays brisk without becoming a blur of activity. Dario Marianelli’s music supports the warmth without making every tender moment feel like an instruction to become tearful. That restraint matters in a film whose belief in kindness could so easily become an excuse to press harder.

There is a modest snag in the way the adventures fit together. The episodic plotting occasionally makes us conscious of moving from one attraction to the next, when we would rather stay absorbed in what Paddington is trying to do. Some of the bustle is more enjoyable in itself than useful to the story. At 104 minutes, it hardly outstays its welcome, though a little less bustle would have helped.

Family comedies can become anxious about keeping adults entertained, as though sincerity were something to apologise for. Paul King trusts the physical jokes and the performances to hold our attention, and gives children the same carefully made film. The warmth works because the bear’s decency has to contend with vanity and prejudice, rather than passing untested through a friendly city. Watch it with children if they are available; there is no need to borrow any.

*Fi1m score 91, published 16 September 2026.*

## What the critics say

The consensus is warmly positive: critics find Paddington 2 a funny, generous sequel whose belief in kindness rarely slips into sentimentality. Praise clusters around Paul King’s inventive visual comedy, intricate slapstick and richly imagined London, with Hugh Grant’s vain villain repeatedly singled out for his self-mocking performance. Most critics also admire how the film makes acceptance and community part of the comedy rather than a lesson delivered between gags.

The differences are chiefly matters of enthusiasm, with no substantial negative response in the supplied reviews. The AV Club notes an episodic plot while praising the visual sophistication and absurdist humour; The Telegraph places it slightly below the original, whereas The Hollywood Reporter finds it better, citing the ingenious plotting and ensemble. Reservations remain modest, and even the more measured notices share the broader appreciation of its comic craft and unforced warmth.

## Straight answers

**Is Paddington 2 worth watching?**

*Paddington 2* is worth watching for almost anyone, children or not, and we scored it 91. Paul King's comedy takes good manners seriously and gets its laughs from them, with Ben Whishaw's steady bear set against Hugh Grant's magnificently vain Phoenix Buchanan. Only the episodic plotting occasionally slows it, and at 104 minutes it never outstays its welcome.

**How long is Paddington 2, and what is it rated?**

*Paddington 2* runs 1h 44m. It is an adventure and comedy film.

**Where can I watch Paddington 2 in Estonia?**

*Paddington 2* is streaming on HBO Max in Estonia. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service.

**How does Paddington 2 compare to Babe?**

*Paddington 2* and [*Babe*](https://film.one/film/babe) are both family comedies about a courteous animal who changes how stubborn people behave, and we recommend either. The bear's film is the funnier and busier of the two, built on slapstick and Hugh Grant's vanity; *Babe* is quieter and more tender, though Nigel Westlake's music presses harder than it needs to. Choose Paddington for laughter, Babe for a gentler evening.

**What should I watch after Paddington 2?**

After *Paddington 2*, try [*Babe*](https://film.one/film/babe) (1995, Fi1m 88): Another courteous animal makes stubborn people reconsider how they treat each other. Then [*Kiki's Delivery Service*](https://film.one/film/kikis-delivery-service) (1989, Fi1m 86): Practical kindness and everyday work give this young outsider’s adventures their warmth; and [*Ernest & Celestine*](https://film.one/film/ernest-and-celestine) (2012, Fi1m 84): A bear and a mouse challenge prejudice without stopping the comedy.

### Reviews we read (33)

- **Little White Lies**, David Jenkins (4/5/5): The review hails it as an effortlessly great and immensely satisfying family sequel that delivers political messages of kindness and inclusion with modesty and grace, singling out Hugh Grant's meta-ham performance as a highlight. [Read](https://lwlies.com/reviews/paddington-2)
- **Radio Times**, Victoria Luxford (5/5): Calls it a triumphant sequel and one of the best family movies, commending the hilarious moments, quick wit, and standout performances especially Hugh Grant as the villain. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-41z6af/paddington-2/)
- **Time Out**, Helen O’Hara (5/5): Praises the film for maintaining maximum charm without schmaltz in this bigger, darker sequel, noting the perfect feel for the character's humor and the fairytale London setting that makes one feel better about the world. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/paddington-2)
- **Empire**, Olly Richards (90/100, inferred): This splendid sequel shows you can make a brilliant film by doing simple things very well; it is a pure delight, as sweet and sharp as marmalade. Hugh Grant's camper-than-camp turn as the villain provides every second of joy. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/paddington-2-review/)
- **Film Comment**, Michael Sragow (90/100, inferred): The critic praises the film's improbable success as a genuinely feel-good sequel that embraces goodness without sentimentality, highlighting its inventive visuals, slapstick comedy, and strong ensemble performances. [Read](https://www.filmcomment.com/deep-focus-paddington-2/)
- **RogerEbert.com**, Christy Lemire (85/100, inferred): The film proves the smart-but-sweet formula of the first Paddington was no fluke, delivering charm and heart in a post-Brexit, post-Trump world. It depicts a colorful yet adventurous London while emphasizing kindness to outsiders through the bear's mishaps and resolution. [Read](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/paddington-2-2018)
- **Sight and Sound**, Kate Stables (85/100, inferred): The critic praises the sequel for balancing sentiment and slapstick while celebrating multiculturalism through Paddington's decency in the face of prejudice and a hilarious villain. The film's Chaplinesque positivity and detailed animation are highlighted as strengths. [Read](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/paddington-2-review-brexit-pursued-bear)
- **The Guardian** (85/100, inferred): The sequel is a full-on charm offensive that cements Paddington as a beacon of hope through his decency and good manners. The critic praises its generosity, emotional depth, top-class clowning and Keatonesque physical comedy, along with the director’s willingness to include genuine peril. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2017/nov/12/paddington-2-review-definitely-bears-repeating-hugh-grant)
- **Total Film**, Neil Smith (85/100, inferred): State-of-the-art effects combine with playful, generous storytelling in a feelgood sequel only marmalade haters could resist. It is an engaging, rib-tickling and warm-hearted charmer with inventive set pieces and strong comic performances, especially from Hugh Grant. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/paddington-2-review/)
- **Variety** (Critics Pick): The sequel easily avoids sequelitis in a daffy, delightful romp that honors the books’ spirit while updating London with wit and visual imagination. It offers open-hearted advocacy of acceptance alongside pratfalls and homages in equal, marmalade-flavored measure. [Read](https://variety.com/2017/film/reviews/paddington-2-review-1202599843/)
- **Screen Daily** (80/100, inferred): Describes it as an exemplary sequel that retains innocence while exploring new motifs, praising the charm, Hugh Grant's performance, and the message of decency and good manners as a balm for troubled times. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/paddington-2-review/5123661.article)
- **The i Paper**, Matthew Turner (★★★★): Paddington 2 is an utterly delightful sequel that makes 2017 more bearable, with inventive direction, impeccable comic timing, and a sharp script delivering a message about kindness and acceptance. Hugh Grant's hammy, hilarious performance as the villain steals the show. [Read](https://inews.co.uk/culture/film/paddington-2-review-102562)
- **The New Yorker**, Anthony Lane (80/100, inferred): Paul King delivers another charming sequel full of deftness, with Hugh Grant stealing scenes in multiple disguises as the villain. The courteous bear’s creed and courtroom antics provide a gentle, funny contrast to heavier fare while honoring the source spirit. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2018/01/15/the-insult-and-paddington-2)
- **The Telegraph** (4/5): Paddington 2 is very nearly as good as the first film and becomes irresistible once Hugh Grant arrives as the self-absorbed villain Phoenix Buchanan. The critic highlights Grant’s deliciously funny performance and the crackpot inspiration of director Paul King. [Read](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/paddington-2-review-deliciously-funny-hugh-grant-makes-bears/)
- **The AV Club**, Ignatiy Vishnevetsky (B): The film is a cut above most family entertainment thanks to its sophisticated visual style, Rube Goldberg slapstick, and absurdist humor influenced by Wes Anderson. It maintains the sweet worldview of the source material despite an episodic plot. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/the-charming-paddington-2-is-the-the-rare-live-action-k-1821878559)
- **Evening Standard**, Matthew Norman: The critic calls it the most joyous of movies and a perfect antidote to darker fare, praising its blend of laugh-aloud gags, visual comedy, and touching story without sentimentality. Hugh Grant's comic turn as the villain is singled out as glorious and spectacular. [Read](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/paddington-2-review-this-film-is-a-bear-necessity-a3716196.html)
- **Los Angeles Times**, Justin Chang: Paul King returns with a beautifully structured old-school comedy of intricate gags, wordplay and inspired digressions that push Wes Anderson-like stylization to new aesthetic heights. The sequel keeps its warm, unforced sweetness while delivering visual precision and narrative payoff. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-paddington-2-review-20180111-story.html)
- **Slant Magazine**, Keith Watson: The review highlights the film’s gloriously daffy absurdism, fusing Wes Anderson-style aesthetics with Chaplinesque slapstick and heartfelt warmth. It praises the eccentric sensibility, physical comedy, Hugh Grant’s over-the-top villain, and the profound belief in politeness and kindness that permeates every frame. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/paddington-2/)
- **The Hollywood Reporter**, Leslie Felperin: The critic calls the sequel even better than the first, with an ingenious plot, slapstick gags, and strong ensemble performances led by Hugh Grant. It delivers a timely moral message about kindness and civility while remaining light, charming, and perfectly tuned. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/paddington-2-review-1052097/)
- **The New York Times**, Teo Bugbee (Critic’s Pick): Director Paul King crafts a world of adorable objects and people transformed for the better by Paddington's touch. The film spins good writing and effects into rococo children’s entertainment that follows the bear’s guileless lead with tact and ingenuity. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/10/movies/paddington-2-review.html)
- **The Times**, Kevin Maher (★★★★☆): The joyous sequel is a gorgeous love letter to kindness and London, living between naivety and sophistication with broad slapstick, sly satire and a moving prison sequence. The critic singles out the film’s quintessentially British quality and its near-impossible kindness in the closing scene. [Read](https://www.thetimes.com/business/technology/article/film-review-paddington-2-dhdvf8z68)
- **Den of Geek**, Caroline Preece (5/5): The review calls the sequel even more entertaining than the first, singling out its charm, wit, humour, inventive gags, and Hugh Grant's standout comedic performance as the highlight. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/paddington-2-review-2/)
- **HeyUGuys**, Linda Marric (5/5): The critic calls it a perfect sequel that surpasses the original with charm, heart, and balance for all ages. Hugh Grant stands out as a revelation in the villain role. [Read](https://www.heyuguys.com/paddington-2-review/)
- **Collider**, Matt Goldberg (A): The critic calls Paddington 2 even better than the original, praising its fully realized identity, vibrant direction like Wes Anderson for kids, and ability to show the value of kindness without being preachy or mawkish. Singles out the simple emotional core and Hugh Grant's performance as the villain. [Read](https://collider.com/paddington-2-review/)
- **Consequence** (90/100, inferred): The review describes the film as a pure, joyful antidote full of wholesomeness and decency, highlighting its playful visuals, creative digressions, and the way Paddington rehabilitates everyone around him through kindness. The prison sequences, train chase, and universal lessons of manners and sympathy are singled out positively. [Read](https://consequence.net/2018/01/film-review-paddington-2-has-more-than-enough-charm-to-go-around/)
- **Eye for Film**, Angus Wolfe Murray (90/100, inferred): This is exactly the sequel one hopes for: respectful to the original, goosebumpy, and warm-hearted, improving on its predecessor while retaining a sense of wonder. The filmmakers balance innocence, perseverance, and pace to magical effect. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/paddington-2-2017-film-review-by-angus-wolfe-murray)
- **/Film**, Josh Spiegel (9/10): The critic praises it as a great sequel that improves on the original in every way with buoyant whimsy, cleverness, heart, and humor. Hugh Grant's funny, self-mocking performance as the villain is singled out as a highlight. [Read](https://www.slashfilm.com/555479/paddington-2-review/)
- **The Wrap**, Nicholas Barber (90/100, inferred): The critic praises it as a superior sequel that's a sure-footed, sweet-natured family comedy full of warmth and fun. They single out Hugh Grant's delightfully self-parodying performance as the vain villain and the film's celebration of selflessness and community. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/paddington-2-film-review-hugh-grant-weinstein-company/)
- **Deadline**, Pete Hammond (85/100, inferred): The critic finds it a charming family pic that tops the first for delight, with Hugh Grant stealing the show as the villain. Praises the droll and charming tone that appeals to all ages without talking down. [Read](https://deadline.com/2018/01/paddington-2-review-hugh-grant-ben-whishaw-hugh-bonneville-sally-hawkins-1202238865/)
- **The Ringer**, K. Austin Collins (85/100, inferred): The review describes the film as a charming and clever sequel that emphasizes empathy, neighborly spirit, and how Paddington wins over everyone, including in prison, through good manners and cheer. Singles out the poignant (if simple) idea about communities and outsiders along with light comic touches. [Read](https://www.theringer.com/2018/01/16/movies/paddington-2-film-review-hugh-grant-sally-hawkins)
- **The Playlist**, Will Ashton (B+): It is described as a blessing and even more charming than the first, offering a rare message of kindness and sincerity as welcome diversion in dark times. The whimsical sight gags and consistent cleverness are highlighted positively. [Read](https://theplaylist.net/paddington-2-review-20180109/)
- **NME**, Nick Levine (4/5): The review finds the film heartwarming, charming, and full of entertaining visual gags and community spirit that appeals to all ages. It highlights the prison scenes filled with warmth and humor alongside the underlying message about kindness. [Read](https://www.nme.com/reviews/paddington-2-film-review-2157903)
- **The Skinny**, Jamie Dunn (★★★★): The critic calls it a joyful, breakneck comic caper that improves on the original with added Hugh Grant and sly political undertones about compassion. They single out the inventive visual style, production design, and playful homages as particularly delightful. [Read](https://www.theskinny.co.uk/film/new-releases/paddington-2)

## Details

- **Director:** Paul King
- **Director:** Paul King
- **Screenplay:** Paul King, Simon Farnaby
- **Writer:** Jon Croker, Mark Burton
- **Cinematography:** Erik Wilson
- **Editor:** Jonathan Amos, Mark Everson
- **Music:** Dario Marianelli
- **Production design:** Gary Williamson
- **Costume design:** Timothy Everest, Lindy Hemming
- **Producer:** David Heyman
- **Cast:** Ben Whishaw as Paddington Brown (voice); Sally Hawkins as Mary Brown; Hugh Bonneville as Henry Brown; Madeleine Harris as Judy Brown; Samuel Joslin as Jonathan Brown; Julie Walters as Mrs. Bird; Hugh Grant as Phoenix Buchanan; Imelda Staunton as Aunt Lucy (voice)
- **Runtime:** 1h 44m
- **First release (the UK):** 5 November 2017
- **Genres:** Adventure, Comedy, Family
- **Budget:** $40 million
- **Box office:** $290 million
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07Um1PY_P4o

## Where to watch in Estonia

- HBO Max: streaming

*Checked 2026-09-16.*

Also available in: AE, AR, AT, AU, BE, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, DE, DK, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, HK, ID, IE, IN, IT, JP, LT, MX, NO, NZ, PA, PH, PL, SE, US, VN, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## Awards

- BAFTA Film Awards 2018: BAFTA's Children & Young People Award - Feature Film (won)

## If you liked this

- *Babe* (1995), Fi1m 88: Another courteous animal makes stubborn people reconsider how they treat each other. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/babe.md)
- *Kiki's Delivery Service* (1989), Fi1m 86: Practical kindness and everyday work give this young outsider’s adventures their warmth. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/kikis-delivery-service.md)
- *Ernest & Celestine* (2012), Fi1m 84: A bear and a mouse challenge prejudice without stopping the comedy. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/ernest-and-celestine.md)
- *Steamboat Bill, Jr.* (1928), Fi1m 90: For physical comedy that lets us see precisely how trouble gets worse. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/steamboat-bill-jr.md)
- *The Grand Budapest Hotel* (2014), Fi1m 86: Meticulous comic staging and stubborn courtesy, with sharper edges for older viewers. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-grand-budapest-hotel.md)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/paddington-2